Bouchard barks out a laugh. “Both.” He chugs what’s left of his beer, then gestures to the bartender for another one. The bartender looks at me to see if I need a refill as well and I shake my head.
“To be honest, though,” Bouchard continues, “he does seem happy.”
“Aww. Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?”
“Fuck off.” He laughs. “But seriously. Maybe it is time for me to find someone to settle down with.”
“Yeah.” I nod my chin towards him. “After all the shots to the dome you’ve taken, you’re going to need someone to take care of you when you’re older.”
“Do you tell that to everyone you knock out?”
“Hey, I’ve never knockedyouout!”
“No.” He laughs again and takes a sip out of his new beer that the bartender just dropped off. “And thank God for that. I’ve seen the way you level players. I’d rather take multiple ninety-mile-per-hour clappers to the head than one hip check from you, you brute.”
I wave him off. “With all those pads you wear, you wouldn’t even feel it.”
“Probably not,” he says and goes back to eating.
I take this opportunity to chance another glance at Connor. Helooks like he wants to crawl out of his skin as he pushes his food around his plate. I frown.
“What’s that face about?” Bouchard asks me.
Fuck. He caught me again. I nod my chin in the direction of Connor’s table.
Bouchard looks. “What about him?”
“He looks miserable.”
“Lord knows why. Spoiled prick has nothing to be miserable about.”
My mouth has gone dry, and I suddenly wish I’d had the bartender bring me another root beer. “His dad’s the prick.”
“So it’s learned behavior then.”
“Maybe.” I shrug. But I don’t think that’s the case. “You ever wonder if being a hockey dad might not be the best choice?”
“Are you kidding me?” Bouchard sits a little taller and beams. “I think the only reason I’ve even considered finding a wife is so I can have a miniature me to skate around with. A kid decked out in goalie gear, fumbling around on family night.”
“Don’t tell your future wife that.” I laugh.
“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’ve never thought about it? I’m sure there’s plenty of women out there who would jump at the chance to marry and raise a team of hockey players slash lumberjacks with you.”
I stare at him like he’s an idiot. “Nobody wants that. Not even me.” And that’s the truth. Kids are not in the cards for me for plenty of reasons. Least of which being that I’m gay and will never father a child naturally, and most of which, this world doesn’t need another me. It barely tolerates the one it already has.
“Heads up,” Bouchard says. “Your roommate’s on the move.” He gives me a mischievous smile. “Should we invite him and his old man for a drink?”
I practically choke and I’m about to say that’s a terrible idea as Bouchard calls out and waves them over.
Connor Sr looks like smoke is going to shoot out of his nostrils as he turns to look at us. Connor Jr looks like he wants to beanywhere but here. But he’s the one who relents first and walks over. That nice guy side of him winning the war in his brain between being rude or being polite to his teammates.
“Connor,” Connor Sr says, placing a hand on his shoulder when he gets near us. “We don’t have time for this.”
Bouchard bursts out laughing and flips them the finger, but I don’t have it in me to join in. If we were on the ice, sure. I’d engage in the smack talk and attempt to get under Connor’s skin if our teams were playing against each other. But not here. Not now. This isn’t the time or the place.
“Leave them alone,” I say to Bouchard as I knock his hand down with my own. “Save it for the ice.”
FOUR
